US7337965B2 - Ball identifying device - Google Patents
Ball identifying device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US7337965B2 US7337965B2 US10/416,992 US41699203A US7337965B2 US 7337965 B2 US7337965 B2 US 7337965B2 US 41699203 A US41699203 A US 41699203A US 7337965 B2 US7337965 B2 US 7337965B2
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- helical track
- housing
- code
- track
- objects
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime, expires
Links
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B43/00—Balls with special arrangements
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
- G06K7/08—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by means detecting the change of an electrostatic or magnetic field, e.g. by detecting change of capacitance between electrodes
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2225/00—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment
- A63B2225/15—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment with identification means that can be read by electronic means
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2225/00—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment
- A63B2225/50—Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
- A63B2225/54—Transponders, e.g. RFID
Definitions
- the present invention relates to the identification of spherical objects and in particular to the identification of coded golf balls in a golf game or a golf driving range as disclosed in WO 99/48046.
- a problem in detecting a spherical object such as a golf ball
- the orientation of a transponder within the object may be such that it is not detected by a sensing antenna.
- stopping a ball for code-reading purposes introduces unnecessary delay.
- the present invention seeks to provide an arrangement for reading a coded object while it is moving.
- the present invention also seeks to overcome or reduce this problem.
- a device for recording the code of a coded spherical object as it is moving comprising a sensing member and a path for conveying objects through or past the member, the means defining the path including a helical track along which the objects are constrained to move.
- the sensing member As the objects move along the track they rotate about different axes in space, so that, whatever their initial orientation, their code can be read by the sensing member, i.e. there can be no blind spots undetected by the sensing member.
- the sensing member As the objects move along the track they rotate about different axes in space, so that, whatever their initial orientation, their code can be read by the sensing member, i.e. there can be no blind spots undetected by the sensing member.
- the code is preferably stored in an r.f. identification tag contained within a golf ball.
- the balls may be as disclosed in PCT/GB00/02461.
- the sensing member is an antenna, which may have coils passing around and/or along the helical track.
- the helical track is preferably arranged on the inside surface of a hollow cylindrical or frusto-conical member.
- the helical track may be part of a driven member operated by an electric motor.
- the driven member may extend horizontally, in which case the inlet of the helical track can be configured to admit only one ball at a time.
- Means such as a leaf spring, can be provided to engage inserted balls such that a following ball cannot enter the track immediately after an initial ball, nor can the following ball cause jamming.
- the axis of the helical track may be arranged vertically in which case the balls can move under the effect of gravity.
- This arrangement is particular suitable for coding technologies which can operate even with touching balls.
- a ball separation device may be provided upstream of the helical track if required.
- a method of ensuring that the code of a coded spherical object can be read by a sensing member comprising moving the object along a helical track and at the same time through or past the sensing member.
- the helical track produces the desired rotational movement of the spherical object.
- FIG. 1 shows a ball identifying device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention in which the balls are conveyed horizontally;
- FIG. 2 shows a modification of the device of FIG. 1 ;
- FIGS. 3 and 4 show second and third embodiments of the present invention, in which the balls move vertically
- FIG. 5 is a perspective, partially cut-away, view of a ball identifying device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a track portion of the device of FIG. 5 ;
- FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of a fifth embodiment.
- FIG. 1 shows a ball identification device 10 comprising a helical screw 11 rotated about a horizontal axis by an electric motor and gear arrangement 12 .
- An electrical connection for the motor is shown at 13 .
- the helical screw is of a size suitable to receive a golf ball in its helical groove 17 .
- the screw passes through a cylindrical housing 20 which incorporates the sensing antenna coils in its walls.
- a connector for the antenna is shown at 21 .
- a golf ball (not shown in FIG. 1 ) having a coded r.f. identification tag, is introduced via an inlet 25 and enters groove 17 .
- the ball is constrained to move to the right of FIG. 1 , past the antenna coils thus allowing the code of the tag to be read.
- the ball is constrained by the helical groove it is continually changing its instantaneous axis of rotation. This means that, even if in its initial orientation the ball's code cannot be read by the antenna, it is rotated into a new orientation in which it can be read before it leaves the region of the antenna. After being read, the ball then leaves via an outlet 26 .
- An advantage of the above arrangement is that is prevents balls passing the code reading antenna without having their code read. In addition there is no need to stop the ball to have its code read. Any debris entering the inlet 25 passes straight through the device without jamming or damaging it.
- An advantage of the horizontal arrangement in underground locations is that it minimises the depth of excavation needed to accommodate it.
- the axis of the screw may be arranged vertically.
- the antenna coils may extend cylindrically around the axis of the helical screw or they may extend longitudinally along only part of the circumference thereof.
- FIG. 2 shows a modified version 10 1 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 incorporating a flap 30 which is biased by a spring (not shown) to pivot about a horizontal axis 31 in the direction of arrow 32 .
- a first golf ball 41 begins to enter groove 17 it is engaged by the flap 30 so as to be urged leftwards. If there is an immediately following ball 42 , this is also urged leftwards against housing wall 29 .
- the result is that, as the helical screw 11 rotates (the face visible in FIG. 2 moving upwardly), the ball 42 is constrained to travel on the raised part 18 of the screw, so that ball 42 cannot enter groove 17 until the screw has undertaken a whole rotation. This prevents ball 42 entering groove 17 simultaneously with, or immediately following, ball 41 which could cause jamming.
- Another advantage of this arrangement is that it separates successive golf balls such as 41 and 42 in the conveying path. This is necessary for certain coding technologies, which are unable to reliably discriminate between immediately adjacent balls.
- FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in which a ball identification device 50 has a helical screw 11 with a vertical axis, the balls travelling along groove 17 under the effect of gravity.
- the spacing between the screw 11 and the inner face of housing 20 is such that balls can travel to outlet 26 without jamming.
- This embodiment has the advantage of not requiring a power supply 13 since it has no moving parts.
- FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in which a ball identification device 60 comprises a cylindrical core 62 with a helical track 63 located radially outwardly thereof in the manner of a helter-skelter. Again there are no moving parts, and a ball 61 travels freely along the track to outlet 66 .
- the antenna can be arranged inside core 62 if desired.
- the second and third embodiments are suitable for coding technologies which can discriminate between immediately-adjacent golf balls.
- a ball separating device may be provided upstream to maintain a desired minimum distance between successive balls.
- a fourth embodiment of the ball identification device 80 comprises a generally cylindrical housing 81 with a helical track 82 located on its inner surface.
- the housing 81 may be constituted by a standard pipe fitting and its internal diameter is slightly larger than that of a golf ball.
- the internal diameter “d” of the track 82 as seen in FIG. 6 is 3 mm less than that of a golf ball. Accordingly a golf ball passing vertically through the housing 81 is constrained to rotate to follow the track 82 .
- the pitch of track 82 is substantially 38 mm and it extends for substantially one and half turns.
- Track 82 may be formed integrally with housing 81 , e.g. by moulding, or may be a separate component attached to housing 81 .
- an antenna coil 85 Surrounding the exit of the housing 81 at the bottom is an antenna coil 85 for reading the code on a passing ball.
- An advantage of the fourth embodiment is that it is generally compact and occupies less space than the third embodiment.
- the coded ball being read is enclosed within a housing and thus protected from external influences.
- An advantage of placing the detection coil at a spacing from the entrance to the housing is that, by the time the ball reaches the coil, it is undergoing a steady rotation with no tendency to slide.
- the housing 81 may be inclined to the vertical. It may also be oriented horizontally or near horizontally provided that there are means for assisting in moving the ball down the device, e.g. a blower for producing a moving air stream.
- a blower for producing a moving air stream.
- the dimensions and materials may be changed as desired.
- a fifth embodiment of the ball identification device 90 comprises a tapering, i.e. frusto-conical, housing 91 with a helical track 92 incorporated in its inner surface.
- the housing is conveniently produced by a moulding operation.
- the housing is provided with a locking ring 93 in the form of a bayonet fitting, which is arranged to be attached to a connector at the end of a conduit (not shown) for supplying a ball to the identification device.
- the conduit may be a pipe or a pocket of a target which is arranged to catch golf balls.
- a housing 95 for circuitry associated with the ball identification device is attached to the locking ring 93 by means of a clip connection.
- Housing 95 has connectors 96 for enabling electrical connections to be made to printed circuit boards within housing 95 .
- the exit end 97 of the housing 91 is arranged below the ball-receiving end so that balls descend through the housing under the effects of gravity.
- the antenna coil 98 is arranged upstream of the exit end 97 . Alternatively the antenna coil can be located within housing 95 .
- the above-described ball identification devices can be used with other types of code-reading.
- bar codes or other optical codes can be detected by an optical reader arranged inside the housing of the device.
- An external reader can be used when the housing is transparent.
- the articles identified may be any other objects which roll. The articles need not be coded in which case the reader simply detects their presence.
Abstract
Description
Claims (15)
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0028102A GB0028102D0 (en) | 2000-11-17 | 2000-11-17 | Ball identifying device |
GB0028102.2 | 2000-11-17 | ||
GB0112968.3 | 2001-05-29 | ||
GB0112968A GB0112968D0 (en) | 2000-11-17 | 2001-05-29 | Ball identifying device |
PCT/GB2001/005097 WO2002041240A1 (en) | 2000-11-17 | 2001-11-19 | Ball identifying device |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20040048686A1 US20040048686A1 (en) | 2004-03-11 |
US7337965B2 true US7337965B2 (en) | 2008-03-04 |
Family
ID=26245301
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/416,992 Expired - Lifetime US7337965B2 (en) | 2000-11-17 | 2001-11-19 | Ball identifying device |
Country Status (12)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US7337965B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1334460B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP4182508B2 (en) |
CN (1) | CN1223957C (en) |
AT (1) | ATE279755T1 (en) |
AU (2) | AU2383302A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2429337C (en) |
DE (1) | DE60106475T2 (en) |
DK (1) | DK1334460T3 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2228985T3 (en) |
PT (1) | PT1334460E (en) |
WO (1) | WO2002041240A1 (en) |
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US20040077423A1 (en) * | 2001-11-16 | 2004-04-22 | Weston Denise Chapman | Interactive quest game |
US20090305799A1 (en) * | 2006-04-14 | 2009-12-10 | Creative Kingdoms, Llc | Interactive water play apparatus |
US20110081970A1 (en) * | 2000-02-22 | 2011-04-07 | Creative Kingdoms, Llc | Systems and methods for providing interactive game play |
US20120058835A1 (en) * | 2010-08-18 | 2012-03-08 | Luciano Jr Robert | Ball separation device for a golf range target |
US20120255999A1 (en) * | 2010-08-18 | 2012-10-11 | Luciano Jr Robert | Golf ball with encapsulated rfid chip |
US8608535B2 (en) | 2002-04-05 | 2013-12-17 | Mq Gaming, Llc | Systems and methods for providing an interactive game |
US8686579B2 (en) | 2000-02-22 | 2014-04-01 | Creative Kingdoms, Llc | Dual-range wireless controller |
US8702515B2 (en) | 2002-04-05 | 2014-04-22 | Mq Gaming, Llc | Multi-platform gaming system using RFID-tagged toys |
US8711094B2 (en) | 2001-02-22 | 2014-04-29 | Creative Kingdoms, Llc | Portable gaming device and gaming system combining both physical and virtual play elements |
US8753165B2 (en) | 2000-10-20 | 2014-06-17 | Mq Gaming, Llc | Wireless toy systems and methods for interactive entertainment |
US8758136B2 (en) | 1999-02-26 | 2014-06-24 | Mq Gaming, Llc | Multi-platform gaming systems and methods |
US9132326B2 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2015-09-15 | Topgolf International Inc. | System for providing loaner clubs to novice golfers |
US9339715B2 (en) | 2010-08-18 | 2016-05-17 | Edge Technology | Radar based tracking system for golf driving range |
US9339697B2 (en) | 2010-08-18 | 2016-05-17 | Edge Technology | RFID golf ball target system and method |
US9370694B2 (en) | 2010-08-18 | 2016-06-21 | Edge Technology | Golf ball with RFID inlay in a molded impression |
US9446319B2 (en) | 2003-03-25 | 2016-09-20 | Mq Gaming, Llc | Interactive gaming toy |
US9498682B2 (en) | 2010-08-18 | 2016-11-22 | Edge Technology | RFID embedded within inner core of a multi-core golf ball |
US9498680B2 (en) | 2010-08-18 | 2016-11-22 | Edge Technology | Split inner core of a multi-core golf ball with RFID |
US9555284B2 (en) | 2014-09-02 | 2017-01-31 | Origin, Llc | Multiple sensor tracking system and method |
US9643056B2 (en) | 2010-08-18 | 2017-05-09 | Edge Technology | Golf ball with RFID inlay between a split core |
US10055941B2 (en) | 2010-08-18 | 2018-08-21 | Edge Technology, Llc. | High integrity golf wagering system |
US10576388B2 (en) | 2016-11-14 | 2020-03-03 | Whitewater West Industries Ltd. | Play center using structural monoliths for water delivery capabilities |
US10758831B2 (en) | 2014-11-17 | 2020-09-01 | Whitewater West Industries Ltd. | Interactive play center with interactive elements and consequence elements |
US10799770B1 (en) | 2019-04-12 | 2020-10-13 | Topgolf International, Inc. | RFID golf ball testing apparatus and systems |
US10810903B2 (en) | 2017-04-05 | 2020-10-20 | Flyingtee Tech, Llc | Computerized method of detecting and depicting a travel path of a golf ball |
US11027193B2 (en) | 2013-07-01 | 2021-06-08 | Flyingtee Tech, Llc | Two-environment game play system |
US11779809B1 (en) | 2022-07-29 | 2023-10-10 | Topgolf International, Inc. | Method and system utilizing a golf shot API proxy |
US11944883B2 (en) | 2022-04-21 | 2024-04-02 | Topgolf International, Inc. | Galton configuration in golf ball receiving apparatus and systems |
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US20050227792A1 (en) * | 2004-03-18 | 2005-10-13 | Hbl Ltd. | Virtual golf training and gaming system and method |
US20120248332A1 (en) * | 2009-10-06 | 2012-10-04 | Arthur Kreitenberg | Sports ball sterilizer |
US20120244969A1 (en) | 2011-03-25 | 2012-09-27 | May Patents Ltd. | System and Method for a Motion Sensing Device |
US20130167290A1 (en) * | 2011-12-30 | 2013-07-04 | Ariel BEN EZRA | Sensor activated ball and sport accessory with computer functionalities |
US9113912B1 (en) | 2015-01-21 | 2015-08-25 | Serene Medical, Inc. | Systems and devices to identify and limit nerve conduction |
US9119628B1 (en) | 2015-01-21 | 2015-09-01 | Serene Medical, Inc. | Systems and devices to identify and limit nerve conduction |
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JP7132903B2 (en) * | 2019-10-29 | 2022-09-07 | 株式会社タカラトミー | Operating device |
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2001
- 2001-11-19 AT AT01996826T patent/ATE279755T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2001-11-19 EP EP01996826A patent/EP1334460B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-11-19 US US10/416,992 patent/US7337965B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-11-19 PT PT01996826T patent/PT1334460E/en unknown
- 2001-11-19 WO PCT/GB2001/005097 patent/WO2002041240A1/en active Search and Examination
- 2001-11-19 JP JP2002543374A patent/JP4182508B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2001-11-19 CN CNB018189075A patent/CN1223957C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2001-11-19 ES ES01996826T patent/ES2228985T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-11-19 AU AU2383302A patent/AU2383302A/en active Pending
- 2001-11-19 AU AU2002223833A patent/AU2002223833B8/en not_active Ceased
- 2001-11-19 DK DK01996826T patent/DK1334460T3/en active
- 2001-11-19 CA CA2429337A patent/CA2429337C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-11-19 DE DE60106475T patent/DE60106475T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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EP1334460A1 (en) | 2003-08-13 |
CN1474993A (en) | 2004-02-11 |
JP2004514224A (en) | 2004-05-13 |
DE60106475T2 (en) | 2005-10-27 |
ES2228985T3 (en) | 2005-04-16 |
WO2002041240A1 (en) | 2002-05-23 |
ATE279755T1 (en) | 2004-10-15 |
AU2002223833B2 (en) | 2006-01-19 |
AU2002223833B8 (en) | 2006-02-23 |
CA2429337A1 (en) | 2002-05-23 |
EP1334460B1 (en) | 2004-10-13 |
DK1334460T3 (en) | 2005-02-14 |
DE60106475D1 (en) | 2004-11-18 |
US20040048686A1 (en) | 2004-03-11 |
AU2383302A (en) | 2002-05-27 |
CN1223957C (en) | 2005-10-19 |
PT1334460E (en) | 2005-02-28 |
JP4182508B2 (en) | 2008-11-19 |
CA2429337C (en) | 2012-10-23 |
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